Season 12 (U.S. syndication)
The twelfth season of the syndicated U.S. version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? premiered on September 2, 2013 and ended on May 23, 2014. It is the fourth season of the U.S. shuffle format. This is the only season hosted by Cedric the Entertainer. In the shuffle format, the timer from the 2008-2010 U.S. Clock Format was removed. Gameplay was split into two rounds. In the first round, the contestant would face ten questions with random shuffled difficulty and random unknown values ranging from $100 to $25,000; answering these questions correctly would reveal the amount behind it and add such amount to the contestant's "bank". In the second round, the contestant would face four increasingly difficult questions; answering these questions correctly would increase the contestant's "bank" value up to $100,000, $250,000, $500,000, and $1,000,000, in that order. Like the original format, the contestant can end the game by walking away from a question without answering it. Answering a question incorrectly would still end a contestant's game. In the first round, the contestant would leave with only half of the "bank" value upon walking away from a question; in this round, the contestant would leave with $1,000 upon answering a question incorrectly. In the second round, the contestant would leave with the entire "bank" value upon walking away from a question, unlike the first round; in this round, the contestant would leave with $25,000 upon answering a question incorrectly. Lifelines In addition to the "Ask the Audience", the contestant had two "Jump the Question" lifelines. They allow the contestant to "jump" a question in either round of gameplay; doing so would skip the question as if it was answered correctly, but without adding money to the contestant's "bank" value. *Ask the Audience *Jump the Question (two times) Episodes * Episode 1 (2nd September 2013) Terril Sanford ($1,000) Nicholas Shabanowitz (continued) * Episode 2 (3rd September 2013) Nicholas Shabanowitz ($23,500) Kenneth Brooks ($1,000) Tanya Blanchard (continued) * Episode 3 (4th September 2013) Tanya Blanchard ($64,600) Sanjeev Sirpal (continued) * Episode 4 (5th September 2013) Sanjeev Sirpal ($61,500) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 5 (6th September 2013) Mike Saliba ($1,000) Jackie Fuchs ($1,000) * Episode 6 (9th September 2013) Casey Switzer (continued) * Episode 7 (10th September 2013) Casey Switzer ($52,600) Matthew Sparks (continued) * Episode 8 (11th September 2013) Matthew Sparks ($59,600) Theresa Buntain ($17,750) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 9 (12th September 2013) Eric Pierce ($53,500) * Episode 10 (13th September 2013) Levi Evans ($21,050) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 11 (16th September 2013) Bevereley Leadon ($51,600) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 12 (17th September 2013) Cyndi Payne (continued) * Episode 13 (18th September 2013) Cyndi Payne ($100,000) Ron Valdes ($25,000) * Episode 14 (19th September 2013) Sarah Hreyo ($100,000) * Episode 15 (20th September 2013) Stephen Shaw ($1,000) Steph Greenberg ($1,000) * Episode 16 (23rd September 2013) Jennifer Belliveau ($59,600) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 17 (24th September 2013) West Gordon ($1,000) Josina Reaves (continued) * Episode 18 (25th September 2013) Josina Reaves ($25,000) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 19 (26th September 2013) James Batey ($25,000) * Episode 20 (27th September 2013) Jennifer Espinoza ($53,600) * Episode 21 (30th September 2013) Loren Loiancono ($25,000) * Episode 22 (1st October 2013) Von Stokes ($24,300) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 23 (2nd October 2013) Madalyn Mako (continued) * Episode 24 (3rd October 2013) Madalyn Mako ($93,500) Uche Aguoji (continued) * Episode 25 (4th October 2013) Uche Aguoji ($1,000) Kate O'Brien ($29,750) * Episode 26 (7th October 2013) Albert Rivera ($1,000) Bruce Lynn ($1,000) * Episode 27 (8th October 2013) Brittney Carman ($12,550) Cheryl Forsythe (continued) * Episode 28 (9th October 2013) Cheryl Forsythe ($1,000) Todd-Michael Hayes (continued) * Episode 29 (10th October 2013) Todd-Michael Hayes ($100,000) Kelli Chapleski ($1,000) Erik Persek (continued) * Episode 30 (11th October 2013) Erik Persek ($25,000) Marguerite Lovullo ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 31 (14th October 2013) JC Smith ($15,750) Tracey Launder (continued) * Episode 32 (15th October 2013) Tracey Launder ($100,000) Jerry Kribs ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 33 (16th October 2013) Anthony Exum ($61,600) * Episode 34 (17th October 2013) Dr. Oz (continued) * Episode 35 (18th October 2013) Dr. Oz ($250,000) Nicole Ransone ($1,000) * Episode 36 (21st October 2013) Eddo Kim ($1,000) Azuree Montoute-Lewis (continued) Matthew Brooks (continued) * Episode 37 (22nd October 2013) Azuree Montoute-Lewis ($25,000) * Episode 38 (23rd October 2013) Matthew Brooks ($15,050) Peter Gregus (continued) * Episode 39 (24th October 2013) Peter Gregus ($63,500) Jason Ring ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 40 (25th October 2013) Tim Lewis ($100,000) * Episode 41 (28th October 2013) Andrew Stout ($1,000) Barbara Morehouse ($1,000) * Episode 42 (29th October 2013) Chris Ngoon (continued) * Episode 43 (30th October 2013) Chris Ngoon ($25,000) Emily DiDavide (continued) * Episode 44 (31st October 2013) Emily DiDavide ($24,550) Will Jones ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 45 (1st November 2013) Patrick Hackett ($250,000) * Episode 46 (4th November 2013) - Celebrity Week (1) Boris Kodjoe (continued) * Episode 47 (5th November 2013) - Celebrity Week (2) Boris Kodjoe ($72,100) Brad Garrett (continued) * Episode 48 (6th November 2013) - Celebrity Week (3) Brad Garrett ($25,000) * Episode 49 (7th November 2013) - Celebrity Week (4) Josh Malina ($10,000) Niecy Nash (continued) * Episode 50 (8th November 2013) - Celebrity Week (5) Niecy Nash ($10,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 51 (11th November 2013) Kyle Hudson ($25,000) * Episode 52 (12th November 2013) Jeff Burleson ($63,500) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 53 (13th November 2013) Keisha Husain ($26,750) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 54 (14th November 2013) Haritha Challapalli ($55,600) * Episode 55 (15th November 2013) Jon Arnon ($43,100) * Episode 56 (18th November 2013) Chima Ogbuokiri ($31,050) * Episode 57 (19th November 2013) Jessika Franklin ($57,600) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 58 (20th November 2013) Charles Esten (continued) * Episode 59 (21st November 2013) Charles Esten ($500,000) Ann Whaley ($16,250) * Episode 60 (22nd November 2013) Matt Caporaletti ($17,750) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 61 (25th November 2013) - "Millionaire By The Decade" Week (1) Keith Daniels ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 62 (26th November 2013) - "Millionaire By The Decade" Week (2) Andrea-Schlegel Wallace ($22,500) Debby Bianchi ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 63 (27th November 2013) - "Millionaire By The Decade" Week (3) Dan Bowne ($58,500) * Episode 64 (28th November 2013) - "Millionaire By The Decade" Week (4) Jay Perez ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 65 (29th November 2013) - "Millionaire By The Decade" Week (5) Steve Schaeffer ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 66 (2nd December 2013) Tara Kubiak ($1,000) David Rivera ($20,050) * Episode 67 (3rd December 2013) Corey Lerner ($1,000) Josh Levin (continued) * Episode 68 (4th December 2013) Josh Levin ($14,550) Amanda Walker ($16,750) * Episode 69 (5th December 2013) Clarice Mathews ($30,300) Kristian Watson ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($2,000) * Episode 70 (6th December 2013) Chaan Thomas ($24,250) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 71 (9th December 2013) Yvonne Olivari ($14,000) John DiDato (continued) * Episode 72 (10th December 2013) John DiDato ($1,000) Kay Garrett ($1,000) * Episode 73 (11th December 2013) Trina, Towanda and Traci Braxton (continued) * Episode 74 (12th December 2013) Trina, Towanda and Traci Braxton ($25,000) Liza Darnell (continued) * Episode 75 (13th December 2013) Liza Darnell ($100,000) Abby Brantley ($24,050) * Episode 76 (6th January 2014) - "Cruise In & Win" Week (1) Lashanda Ingram ($1,000) Belle Wesel (continued) * Episode 77 (7th January 2014) - "Cruise In & Win" Week (2) Belle Wesel ($1,000) Tom Fadigan ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 78 (8th January 2014) - "Cruise In & Win" Week (3) Bill Porter ($7,750) Scott Bateman (continued) * Episode 79 (9th January 2014) - "Cruise In & Win" Week (4) Scott Bateman ($100,000) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 80 (10th January 2014) - "Cruise In & Win" Week (5) Lee Dunlap ($17,250) * Episode 81 (13th January 2014) Eric Stafford ($1,000) Patty Rau (continued) * Episode 82 (14th January 2014) Patty Rau ($1,000) Jessi Kleinman (continued) * Episode 83 (15th January 2014) Jessi Kleinman ($100,000) Rex Isenberg ($1,000) Shelly Fisher (continued) * Episode 84 (16th January 2014) Shelly Fisher ($4,550) Tracey Thompson ($17,550) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 85 (17th January 2014) Deadra Warren ($1,000) Peter Collins ($1,000) * Episode 86 (20th January 2014) Diane Sharkey ($18,550) Marcus Cooper ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 87 (21th January 2014) Bill Johnson (continued) * Episode 88 (22nd January 2014) Bill Johnson ($100,000) James Kaminski ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 89 (23rd January 2014) Katie Cook ($9,250) Greg Apostle (continued) * Episode 90 (24th January 2014) Greg Apostle ($1,000) Glen Heroy ($15,550) * Episode 91 (27th January 2014) Toni Ugolini ($28,050) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 92 (28th January 2014) Colleen Capone ($23,300) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 93 (29th January 2014) Michael Goldsman ($43,600) * Episode 94 (30th January 2014) Dee Kanay ($7,050) Kevin Bub (continued) * Episode 95 (31st January 2014) Kevin Bub ($1,000) Jordan Runtagh ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 96 (3rd February 2014) Jay McMillan ($12,050) Aufience contestant ($1,000) * Episode 97 (4th February 2014) Maria Aluma ($25,000) Audience contestant ($0) * Episode 98 (5th February 2014) Jessica Jenkins ($1,000) Dan Rosenthal (continued) * Episode 99 (6th February 2014) Dan Rosenthal ($61,100) Adam Clark (continued) * Episode 100 (7th February 2014) Adam Clark ($250,000) Nancy Kahrimanis ($16,550) * Episode 101 (10th February 2014) Jesse Fuchs ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 102 (11th February 2014) Beth Forney ($58,600) * Episode 103 (12th February 2014) Steve Kaltenbaugh (continued) * Episode 104 (13th February 2014) Steve Kaltenbaugh ($250,000) Velma Killman ($1,000) Joe Chisholm (continued) * Episode 105 (14th February 2014) Joe Chisholm ($20,750) Jonathan Cane ($16,750) * Episode 106 (17th February 2014) Sonya Kearney ($1,000) Melissa Holzhauer ($28,800) * Episode 107 (18th February 2014) Margaret Welch ($40,600) * Episode 108 (19th February 2014) Kenza Martin ($1,000) * Episode 109 (20th February 2014) Dennis Farrell ($65,500) * Episode 110 (21st February 2014) Cale Scheinbaum ($100,000) Zephyr Doles ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 111 (24th February 2014) - Movie Week (1) Michael Simmons ($1,000) Erica Wyrick (continued) * Episode 112 (25th February 2014) - Movie Week (2) Erica Wyrick ($20,050) Steve Mesa ($6,300) * Episode 113 (26th February 2014) - Movie Week (3) Ryan Nelson ($27,050) Justin VanWert ($1,000) * Episode 114 (27th February 2014) - Movie Week (4) Brad Weinstock (continued) * Episode 115 (28th February 2014) - Movie Week (5) Brad Weinstock ($67,600) Mary Goodson ($15,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 116 (3rd March 2014) Paul McCahey ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 117 (4th March 2014) Rob Jann ($1,000) Hanifah Chiku (continued) * Episode 118 (5th March 2014) Hanifah Chiku ($1,000) Richard Swann ($21,300) Audience Contestants (Dan and Dan) ($1,000) * Episode 119 (6th March 2014) Julie Leinhauser ($61,600) * Episode 120 (7th March 2014) Evan Black ($1,000) Jason Lopez ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 121 (10th March 2014) - Double Money Week (1) Andy Smith ($20,500) Annett Eiffert (continued) * Episode 122 (11th March 2014) - Double Money Week (2) Annett Eiffert ($53,500) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 123 (12th March 2014) - Double Money Week (3) Kathy Nobrega ($1,000) Craig Cash ($16,500) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 124 (13th March 2014) - Double Money Week (4) Alex Rubin ($29,550) Jim Hoppin (continued) * Episode 125 (14th March 2014) - Double Money Week (5) Jim Hoppin ($1,000) Mike Hoffman ($19,250) * Episode 126 (17th March 2014) Melissa Del Toro ($1,000) Jason Schneiderman (continued) * Episode 127 (18th March 2014) Jason Schneiderman ($100,000) Jake Ives (continued) * Episode 128 (19th March 2014) Jake Ives ($1,000) Tammy Hayes ($1,000) Elliot Yates (continued) * Episode 129 (20th March 2014) Elliot Yates ($58,500) Michael Lupia (continued) * Episode 130 (21st March 2014) Michael Lupia ($1,000) Michelle Moore ($9,750) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 131 (14th April 2014) Michelle Friedman ($13,000) Jay McCue ($1,000) Audience Contestants ($2,000) * Episode 132 (15th April 2014) Joe Cimino ($20,750) Annie Rabbane (continued) * Episode 133 (16th April 2014) Annie Rabbane ($16,050) Adam Engst (continued) * Episode 134 (17th April 2014) Adam Engst ($15,250) Jessica Pagan-Braun ($12,800) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 135 (18th April 2014) Mark Hurley ($48,600) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 136 (21st April 2014) Preston Nicholson ($1,000) Sam Donnenfeld ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 137 (22nd April 2014) Erin Knitis ($1,000) Kristina Poe ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 138 (23rd April 2014) Gus Gonzalez ($1,000) Dena Dolhancryk (continued) * Episode 139 (24th April 2014) Dena Dolhancryk ($25,000) J.T. Gardner (continued) * Episode 140 (25th April 2014) J.T. Gardner ($25,750) Celeste Caldwell ($1,000) * Episode 141 (28th April 2014) Jeff Hunsicker ($1,000) Amy Stephenson (continued) * Episode 142 (29th April 2014) Amy Stephenson ($1,000) Bob McGovern ($1,000) Hazel Spears (continued) * Episode 143 (30th April 2014) Hazel Spears ($15,300) David Fishman ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 144 (1st May 2014) Zack Malenfant ($59,600) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 145 (2nd May 2014) Joann Hutson-Deliz ($14,800) Michael Alcorn ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 146 (5th May 2014) Donna Dubek ($25,000) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 147 (6th May 2014) Jennifer Courtright ($1,000) Barbara Phelps ($11,750) Jason Hull (continued) * Episode 148 (7th May 2014) Jason Hull ($6,250) Rodney Garza (continued) * Episode 149 (8th May 2014) Rodney Garza ($1,000) Phil Jett ($53,600) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 150 (9th May 2014) Chef Michael Symon ($60,600) * Episode 151 (12th May 2014) Jennifer Ferrer ($1,000) Phyllis Meiner ($1,000) * Episode 152 (13th May 2014) Josh Wooster ($16,550) Audience Contestant ($1,000) * Episode 153 (14th May 2014) Yvette Hickman ($9,750) Gail Gondek (continued) * Episode 154 (15th May 2014) Gail Gondek ($15,500) Michael Harper ($1,000) Samantha Rurewitz (continued) * Episode 155 (16th May 2014) Samantha Rurewitz ($17,000) Maureen Hagan ($14,050) * Episode 156 (19th May 2014) Ryan Williams ($1,000) Brian Johnson ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($1,000)) * Episode 157 (20th May 2014) Zane King ($26,250) Audience Cotestant ($1,000) * Episode 158 (21st May 2014) Rebecca Taylor ($1,000) Alex Lefteratos ($1,000) Audience Contestant ($0) * Episode 159 (22nd May 2014) Sean Phillips ($7,550) Toi Frederick ($1,000) * Episode 160 (23rd May 2014) Michael Kohlenberger ($1,000) Nadira Williams ($4,050) Audience Contestant ($1,000) Trivia *Josina Reaves is the only contestant in this season who used both "Jump the Question" lifelines in the second round, "jumping" the $250,000 and $500,000 questions. However, she answered the final question incorrectly, making this season the only season to have a top prize loser. Despite this, she lost only $75,000, thanks to the usage of the "Jump the Question" lifelines. *In this season, Charles Esten became the first contestant in six years who walked away from the final question, winning $500,000. This last happened with Lyn Payne in 2007. *This is the only shuffle format season in which the $1,000,000 question has been seen; this happened twice in this season, however one of them missed it and the other one took the money (see above). *On October 30, 2013, Chris Ngoon became the fourth contestant to lose $225,000 in the syndicated U.S. version. This is the largest amount lost on the syndicated version and the second-largest amount lost on the U.S. version in general, just behind Ken Basin's $475,000 loss on the 10th Anniversary Primetime Celebration. *Trina, Towanda, & Traci Braxton are the first trio of contestants in this season. *In this season, Marcus Cooper, Bob McGovern, Jennifer Courtright and Michael Kohlenberger answered the first question incorrectly. Unlike most such contestants, they left with $1,000, due to this season having the shuffle format. *In the 69th episode, on December 5, 2013, the audience contestant, Michael Mudrak, became the first audience member in this season to win $2,000 by double money. *The 2,000th show of the syndicated U.S. version aired in this season, on October 4, 2013. Audience failures *In the 28th episode, Cheryl Forsythe on her 8th question the Ask the Audience lifeline used, where 78% for wrong answer, and 10% were right. She believed the audience, lost $45,000 and left with $1,000. **In the 30th episode, Marguerite Lovullo also used lifeline on 2nd question, where 64% voted for wrong answer, but 29% for right. **In the 41st episode, contestant Barbara Morehouse on 7th question the Ask the Audience used. 59% voted for incorrect option, but 20% for right. **In the 85th episode, on Peter Collins's 7th question, 68% failed, but 15% were right. **In the 88th episode, on James Kaminski's 6th question, audience failed again: 71% for wrong option, but 10% for right. **In the 95th episode, on Kevin Bub's 7th question, most of audience failed: 75% voted for wrong answer, but overwhelming minority (12%) were right. Sources *List of episodes of Season 12 (syndicated) on gameshows.ru Category:U.S. seasons Category:Incomplete articles Category:Article stubs